Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Although Viz just made the announcement about Shonen Jump Advanced yesterday, several readers have pointed out that Viz already started releasing the Ultimate Muscle graphic novels have been released as "Shonen Jump Advanced" titles since this summer. Eyeshield 21, Hunter X Hunter, and I"s therefore will not be the first Shonen Jump Advanced titles
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TV Asahi has opened an official Website for the upcoming Xenosaga TV series. At this time there's no content on the website, just an image placeholder. Toei's official website for Xenosaga: The Animation has more information and images. http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/xenosaga/.
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Barasui's Ichigo Mashimaro manga series is to be adapted into a TV series for broadcast in Japan next year
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Variety reports that Howl's Moving Castle has earned $90 million (9.4 billion yen) since its release.Kotaro Tsuchida, Toho distribution general manager, expects Howl to "at least reach the same box office cume as Spirited Away."


This Week Last Week Title Country Week#
1 1 Howl's Moving Castle Japan 5
2 2 The Incredibles USA 3
3 N/A The Terminal USA 1
4 N/A Alien Vs. Predator USA 1
5 3 Windstruck Korea 2
6 5 Godzilla Final Wars Japan 3
7 N/A Man On Fire USA 1
8 4 Ima Aini Yukimasu Japan 8
9 6 The Polar Express USA 4
10 N/A Ultraman Japan 1
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The Disney Video website has trailers, with voice snippits from the English dubs, online for Nausicaa, Porco Rosso and The Cat Return
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Tokyopop's website has been updated with two new manhwa today; Arcana by So-Young Lee and Blazin' Barrels by Min-suh Park; along with Van Von Hunter by Pseudomé Studio, a North American group Manhwa (만화) is the Korean equivalent to Manga.

In fact the Japanese and Korean terms, manga (漫画) and manhwa, are both descended from the identical Chinese words, man hua (漫画 - simplified, 漫畫 - traditional), which are also used to describe comics (of any origin) in Chinese.

In North America, manwa is generally being used to refer to Korean comics such as My Sassy Girl and Island (released by ComicsOne and Tokyopop respectively).

Manhwa is sometimes spelled "manwha" or "manwa."
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Tuesday, December 21, 2004

SwimBuddha" the AdultSwim.com administrator that posts new announcements to the site has announced via the AdultSwim.com forum, "The cyberpunk goodness never stops; Ghost in the Shell: 2nd GIG will begin airing in Fall of 2005."

Also announced:


InuYasha premieres will resume three days a week starting January 10 at 12:30 a.m.

On February 12, Fullmetal Alchemist will move up a half hour to 11:30 p.m., taking Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex to a new time slot at midnight.

Also on February 12, The Super Milk-Chan Show will migrate to Saturdays for repeats at 1:30 a.m.
(sorry if this is old)
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On Dec.25 Techtv Will Show All 26 Of Last Exile. (TV) It Will Start 10:00 Am 11:00 Pc Time. Also The Action Challen Will Have An "All Anime Day" On New Years Day (or Eve) Movies like GITS and Hellsing (The Real Hellsing, not the crappy Van Hellsing) So, Keep some Pokey Boxs and lable them "Last Exile, Pokey Box" And "New yEar Pokey Box"
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Sunday, December 19, 2004

Last Exile questions *Spoilers*/Eva The Meaning of The END
Great series but a lot of questions went unanswered.

Its obvious they aren't on earth. Are they on some sort of artificially created world or just another planet?

Did Exile create the Grand Stream? If so why?

Why was there such a huge disparity between the Guild's technology and that of the land dwellers?

Why were Disith and Anataray at war?

What exactly was Exile's purpose? And what did it morph into ?

Where were Dio and Delphine's parents when they were young? Or do Guild children even have parents?

What did the machine do to Dio?

Who created AL?

Who shot Laura Palmer?
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Exile was a transport colony ship for transport between Earth and Prestale that was supposed to be able to automatically be able to go back and forth. So yes, it's another planet.

What did the machine do to Dio?
It alters ones personallity it seems. For Dio it seemed to just make him psychotic like Delphine

It's another planet, clearly, and at least partially altered/artificial ("the Grand Stream" effect

[Water.]

Already answered, but I'll repeat the answer: Exile was the colony ark that carried the colonists.

Already answered, but my take is that it apparently stripped away that which we call human conscience. As Kruszer notes (although he uses the term "psychotic", which is erroneous), it turned him sociopathic. Not that Dio was all that conscience-ridden, to begin with


It was Sue Ellen... no wait... that was J.R.Let me think. Oh, I remember: it was Maggie Simpson. No, wait...

At the very end of the last episode (post grand-stream dissolving and exile revelation), I thought I saw a scene with Mullin Shetland--I was fairly certain it was Mullin--with some kids and the young Disith musketeer (I'm sorry I can't remember her name...) he fell in love with. However, a few episodes before that, I could have SWORN that Mullin died. At least it was strongly implied. So am I just mistaking different characters with one another? (probable) Or did he miraculously return to life

that Mullin was dead. I figured that they pulled a fast one at the end].

In ep 23, he was badly wounded and incapacitated after the firefight trying to seize control of "Units" (core facility providing levitation power for ships of both sides, borrowed from Guild), but that does not necessary mean he was killed. He's not a person who would die easily

were those two kids at the end supposed to me mullin's and the disith girl's? They looked to be at least 4 or 5 years old. If that's true, why didn't anyone else look older

at least some of those kids are orphans adopted by them (Claus, Lavie, Alvis, and probably many other adults are orphans themselves, so it is not surprising if they adopted some once they are economically independent

(srry i mixed these up and its your job to unmix them because i am too lazy)
-----------Eva The Meaning of The END--------------------------

The ending was in Shinji's mind and his instrumentation process. Ultimately he finds meaning and value in himself, the hallmarks of true maturity. It is strange, it is weird, but it gets at the heart of Eva's nature. The show is about people, our flaws, our strengths, our true forms. The ending strips away the giant robot device to get at the heart
The show works, there is flow, there is plot, there is synergy in the show. But the messages aren't popular and can be confusing due to the style. I think it is an important anime, one that people should see, but that doesn't mean people have to like it.

On the movies In the end, the choking of Asuka had to do with feeling alive and with Shinji overcoming his own self hatred. When Asuka places her hand upon his face, Shinji lessens his grip and begans to cry. The final words are Asuka's. There are a few other interpretations, one is that is not Asuka. Rather she is Shinji's perfect woman, an idealized version of Asuka infused with Rei. Also, Asuka was dead before the end, thus meaning possibly anyone can come back, this allows for Rei-2 to come back. If you notice, final-Asuka has bandages that are a reverse of Rei -2 and -3 bandages. There is some suggestion that the perfect woman is shaped as Asuka since Shinji has now progressed beyond his mother, and his mother figures. For any of these possiblities, it is a happy ending. Really, no joke. Shinji and final Asuka are free to live their own lives for the first time. No longer are they pawns to Gendo or SEELE or Yui. They will neither destroy the world nor build a momument to it, but live it. (That may be what Gendo wanted. Nobody knows but him and Fuyutsuki what he was planing the whole time. I really want to know, perhaps he wanted the orginal ending? Or was that SEELE's ending? I think it might just of been Gendo's plan, and that is why he was happy in Episode 26, he got the happy life with Yui. Gendo was really a tragic hero, but few believe me.)

Either that or Shinji is nutters and Anno created this as an equivlent of the bird for fans. There is some suggestion that the whole movie was a twisted way to answer fan request on unanswered questions by answering most in the most horrid possible way, while raising even more. After all, we got to know Shinji's preferance, and Asuka got to fight

One thing I just want to say is:
Gendo's "Human instrumentality project" and SEELE's "Human instrumentality project" are both different things. That is the whole reason why SEELE in End of Eva decided to attack NERV just to stop Gendo's plans. It is also related to the reason why Gendo decided to use the Lance of Langinus when SEELE didn't want him to and as an excuse, he said it was use to defend NERV. Gendo's instrumentality as shown from quotes from the T.V. episode (which I plan to discuss another time) is more of a transcendence of man to a greater being, while SEELE's instrumentality project is on man's repayment of original sin and achieving nirvana

all you need to know is shinji is nuts as the title emplies its the end. As screwed up as it may seem it all boils down to that boys decisions. Its as simple as can be. People overcomplicate it if you ask me. we refuse to belive that its just a messed up ending but when you watch it a few times, you notice a pattern... Its the same! try to take it on the simple side Shinji must make a decision either a or b his choice decides the outcome of the end. And also to those who are wondering rumor is there is a platnum edition series coming out wich has improved sound and picture quality and a directors cut which has deleated scenes and improved comentary (subed). At any rate its only rumor about the tv series so I can't guarintee it.

everyone knows that this whole thing is really in Shinji's head. The scenes of Modern Day Japan are reality -- he's living in a fantasy world he created. This jibes with both the original series ending and the End of Eva ending as well.

agree with the amalgam theory -- That isn't Asuka in the end, but all three of them as one. There is evidence to this: Asuka's body, Rei's bandages, and Misato's brown eyes (freeze-frame the part where we see her as Shinji chokes her, and you can she that her blue eyes have become brown eyes!).

Be reminded of the fact that all of this is in Shinji's head, and all three of the women used to be separate people in his dream (or his interpretation of the people around him, if you follow the original ending). All three of them are important to him, but he wishes for a world where everyone was all one. A world where he thought he would be happy, with no distinctions, no separate souls. Rei grants this wish, and we see everything break down -- we see the real world, and then we see the three Japanese VAs from the front, followed by Rei, Misato, and Asuka from the back.

Back in dream-land, when Shinji mentions to Rei that this isn't the world he wanted, Rei replies that it will be up to each soul as to whether or not they want to remain separate beings. In the end, the souls (the green crosses) move off to the heavens, Shinji remains separate of himself, and Asuka/Rei/Misato is with him as well on the borders of an LCL sea (fallout from the Egg of Lilith).

Two possibilites now exist: Either the world returned to the way it was (which it could not have, if the souls did leave Earth), or they are the Adam and Eve of a new Earth
(This IS ALL MIXED UP TOO!!!)
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Saturday, December 18, 2004

More new Viz Manga
Alternative Comics
THE CUTE MANIFESTO
By James Kochalka
Collecting some of Kochalka's most intensely thoughtful work, this book struggles with all the big issues... comics and art, birth and death, technology and joy, and everything in between. (June)

HAILS AT SEA
By Walt Holcombe
HAILS AT SEA collects Holcombe's Eisner-winning graphic novel, THE KING OF PERSIA, stories from his Fantagraphics series, POOT, and additional rarely seen and new short pieces. (July)

DC Comics
IDENTITY CRISIS HC
Written by Brad Meltzer and illustrated by Rags Morales and Michael Blair.
The top-selling Identity Crises series that changed the Justice League of America gets collected. (FALL)

** THE QUITTER ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL
Written by Harvey Pekar and illustrated by Dean Haspiel.
Pekar's first work for Vertigo, THE QUITTER is an original graphic novel that mines tales from Pekar's childhood and early adolescence. (FALL)

JOHN CONSTANTINE, HELLBLAZER: ALL HIS ENGINES
Written by Mike Carey and illustrated by Leonardo Manco
In this original graphic novel, John Constantine, the incorrigible, trench coat-clad anti-hero, hunts down a mad demon that has left a trail of bodies stretching from London to Los Angeles. (March 1)

BIZARRO WORLD
Written and illustrated by various; Cover by Jaime Hernandez
The follow-up to BIZARRO COMICS lets the world's greatest alternative cartoonists run rampant through the DC Universe. (Feb 16)
See TIME.comix review of the first volume

SEVEN SOLDIERS
Written by Grant Morrison; illustrations by various
The SEVEN SOLDIERS saga comprises seven 4-issue miniseries and two bookend Specials - all which may be read independently but combine to tell a colossal 30-part tale, starring Klarion, Mister Miracle, Frankenstein, Zatanna, The Guardian, Bulleteer and the Shining Knight. (February 23)

Drawn & Quarterly
** WALT & SKEEZIX
By Frank King, edited and designed by Chris Ware
The first of a multi-volume collection of Gasoline Alley strips, each of which will have biographical information, photographs and sketches from King's estate that detail the story of this great forgotten American artist. (June)

** THE PUSH MAN & OTHER STORIES
By Yoshihiro Tatsumi edited and designed by Adrian Tomine.
THE PUSH MAN is the debut volume in a new series of short stories by the cartoonist Yoshihiro Tatsumi, the grandfather of alternative manga. (September)

** BAGHDAD JOURNAL
By Steve Mumford
BAGHDAD JOURNAL is the culmination of three voyages to war-torn Iraq by artist Steve Mumford who in the long tradition of war artists meticulously documented the everyday scenes of Iraq. (September)

** PYONGYANG
By Guy Delisle
In early 2000 cartoonist Guy Delisle became one of the few Westerners to travel to North Korea allowing him to spend several weeks observing every aspect of the lives of North Koreans. (September)

WAR'S END: PROFILES FROM BOSNIA 95-96
By Joe Sacco
Before SAFE AREA GORAZDE and THE FIXER, author Sacco created two short stories of the characters from each side of the Balkan crossfire: Soba - the artist warrior and Karadzic, the evil war criminal. (June)
See TIME.comix's review of THE FIXER

Fantagraphics Books
SEEING THINGS
By Jim Woodring
This hardcover collects Woodring's most toothsome fine art paintings and charcoal drawings.
See TIME.comix review of Jim Woodring's FRANK

** SEX, ROCK 'N' ROLL & OPTICAL ILLUSIONS
By Victor Moscoso
The Zap cartoonist and psychedelic poster artist finally gets his first career retrospective in this full-color book.

** THE THREE PARADOXES
By Paul Hornschemeier
Hornschemeier's second graphic novel is an intricate and complex of autobiography from this rising young graphic novelist.
See TIME.comix review of Horschemeier's MOTHER COME HOME

** WE ALL DIE ALONE
By Mark Newgarden
The first retrospective of the great RAW cartoonist and creator of the Garbage Pail Kids is edited by THE GANZFELD's Dan Nadel.

MOME
Edited by Gary Groth & Eric Reynolds
This new quarterly anthology features the best new talent in the graphic arts.

Image Comics
FLIGHT II
By various artists
A follow-up to last year's wildly successful FLIGHT, this full color anthology of short stories brings together some of the comic and animation world's brightest young talents.

FOUR LETTER WORLDS
By various artists
This anthology of eight page stories by today's best creators, centers on the four letter word themes of "Love," "Hate," "Fate" and "Fear." (January)

NEGATIVE BURN
By various artists
A new anthology that updates the classic series from the early nineties that featured groundbreaking work by creators ranging from Alan Moore to Brian Michael Bendis. (March)

AS BIG AS EARTH
By Scott Morse and Dean Haspiel
This ongoing bimonthly will feature the super team A-OKAY Cool, Haspiel's answer to the JLA and The Avengers, while Morse brings us tales from Motionville, featuring new heroes The Scare, The Move, The Foolish Fling, and others. (June)

GODLAND
By Joe Casey and Tom Scioli
This over-the-top, cosmic superhero epic travels to the limits of existence and beyond. (May or June)

Dark Horse Comics
STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH
Miles Lane (w) Doug Wheatley (a)
The adaptation of the coming final installment of the Star Wars series arrives six weeks before the film! (April 2)

HELLBOY: THE ISLAND
Mike Mignola (w/a)
In this sequel to the 2002 HELLBOY: THIRD WISH, Hellboy, last seen at the bottom of the ocean, washes ashore on a small island that seems to sit between this world and the next. (Summer)

REVELATIONS
Paul Jenkins (w) Humberto Ramos (a)
A murder mystery set in the Vatican where cover-ups and deceit lead to a shocking conclusion. (Summer)

** CONAN AND THE JEWELS OF GWAHLUR
P. Craig Russell (w/a)
In this three-part adaptation of Robert E. Howard's short story, Conan puts his military and thieving experience together in one of his last adventures before becoming King of Aquilonia. (Summer)

MAN WITH THE SCREAMING BRAIN
Bruce Campbell, David Goodman, Hilary Barta (w)
An adaptation of the upcoming Bruce Campbell feature film about a business man on vacation in Europe whose gets half of a Russian cab driver's brain put inside his head. (Summer)

Marvel Comics
YOUNG AVENGERS #1
Written by Allan Heinberg; Pencils & Cover by Jim Cheung
In the wake of AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED, a mysterious new group of teen super heroes appears. (2/9/2005)

BLACK PANTHER #1
Written by Reginald Hudlin; Penciled by John Romita Jr. Cover by John Romita JR.
The Wakandan super hero is back with Hollywood heavyweight Hudlin (HOUSE PARTY, BOOMERANG) and fan favorite Romita Jr. (WOLVERINE, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN), teaming up to deliver a book that's sure to excite true believers and the hip hop faithful. (2/2/2005)

HOUSE OF M (1-8)
Written by Brian Bendis, and illustrated by Olivier Coipel
This will be THE Marvel event of '05, reaching far and wide through titles such as New Avengers and X-Men but details are being kept under wraps for now. (Early June)

ASTONISHING X-MEN
Written by Joss Whedon; Illustrated by John Cassaday
The smash series of '04 continues with the "Dangerous" story arc in '05!

ULTIMATE IRON MAN #1 (of 6)
Written by Orson Scott Card; Pencils by Andy Kubert; Foil Cover by Bryan Hitch
If you thought The Ultimates told you everything you needed to know about Ultimate Iron Man, think again.

NBM
ISAAC THE PIRATE, VOL.2; THE CAPITAL
By Christophe Blain
In part two of this high-seas adventure, Isaac finally gets back to his country but as a profoundly changed man.

DUNGEON, VOL.2, "THE BARBARIAN PRINCESS"
By Lewis Trondheim & Joann Sfar
Part duex of the Dungeon series continues the horror and fantasy spoof by two of France's best cartoonists.

** ORDINARY VICTORIES
By Manu Larcenet
This lyrical rendering of the everyday struggle won the prize for Best Album in Angouleme.

THE JUNGLE
By Upton Sinclair, adapted by Peter Kuper
The praised adaptation of Sinclair's novel will arrive in paperback.
See TIME.comix review of the hardcover

A TREASURY OF VICTORIAN MURDER: THE MURDER OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
By Rick Geary
Geary retraces in detail the first spectacular assassination of a president. (July)

Pantheon
** EPILEPTIC
By David B.
Both parts of this heart-breaking memoir of the artist's epileptic brother are now collected. (January)
See TIME.comix review of part one

EMBROIDERIES
By Marjane Satrapi
From the author of PERSEPOLIS, comes a sort of a graphic novel version of The Joy Luck Club, only in Iran. (April)
See TIME.comix review of PERSEPOPLIS

** ICE HAVEN
By Dan Clowes
The book-length, expanded version of Eightball #22 takes an Altman-esque look at the residents of Suburbia. (June)
See TIME.comix review of Eightball #22

THE ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY
By Chris Ware
This tabloid-sized hardcover collects Ware's one-page "gag" strips, with 36 pages of previously un-collected material. (Sept)
See TIME.comix review of Chris Ware's QUIMBY THE MOUSE

** BLACK HOLE
By Charles Burns
Finally, ten years in the making, in hardcover--Burns' epic horror story of teenagers and a mysterious plague. (October)

TOKYOPOP
WARCRAFT: THE SUNWELL TRILOGY
Written by Richard Knaack
Set in the same rich universe as Blizzard's Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game World of Warcraft, Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy is a fresh take on the Warcraft universe using original characters and storylines.

BIZENGHAST
By Marty LeGrow
In a forgotten town of Bizenghast where the graveyard can't be found and the dead never leave, a mentally unstable girl is the only hope for the tormented souls who are trying to find a way out.

I LUV HALLOWEEN
By Keith Giffen & Benjamin Roman
This darkly comedic series chronicles the misadventures of a group of particularly disturbing trick-or-treaters as they go about their macabre business on Halloween night.

PSY-COMM
By Jason Henderson & Tony Salvaggio
Psychic soldiers are the new celebrities in a future where corporations sponsor wars, settle disputes and entertain the masses. Mark Keit is Electromedia's biggest star--nothing can touch him...until he meets someone who makes him want to run.

OFF-BEAT
By Jenny Quick
Secrets and lies are around every corner in this curiously cool adventure of three high school students whose lives are tied together by the designs of their own imaginations.

Top Shelf
LOST GIRLS
By Alan Moore & Melinda Gebbie
This erotic fantasy reinvents "pornography" as something exquisite, thoughtful, and human. (Summer)

OWLY (VOL2): JUST A LITTLE BLUE
By Andy Runton
The second volume in the breakout, all-ages series, where Owly learns that sometimes you have to make sacrifices for things that are important, especially friendship. (February)

SPIRAL-BOUND
By Aaron Renier
With an ensemble cast straight from a box of Animal Crackers, this delightful tale of self-discovery is the first major work by extraordinary newcomer Aaron Renier. (Summer)

TRICKED
By Alex Robinson
From the cartoonist of Box Office Poison, comes a tale of six people -- a reclusive rock legend, a heartbroken waitress, a counterfeiter, an obsessive crank, a lost daughter and a backstabbing lover -- whose lives spiral in upon each other. (Summer)

THE KING
By Rich Koslowski
From the cartoonist of Three Fingers, comes a pop culture, adventure/mystery about an enigmatic Elvis impersonator that might actually be "The King." (Summer)

VIZ
GHOST IN THE SHELL 2-ANI-MANGA
By Shirow Masamune
The definitive 4-volume, full color boxed set inspired by the hit anime film about the struggle between humans and cyborgs to coexist with each other in a wildly futuristic Earth. (April)

FULL METAL ALCHEMIST
By Arakawa Hiromu
A long awaited 4-volume manga series that tells the story of young brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric who attempt to use the science of alchemy to bring their mother back to life, with life changing and action packed results. (June)

DR. SLUMP
By Akira Toriyama
Adored and massively popular manga from Akira Toriyama, the creator of DRAGON BALL, Dr. Slump is a madcap, episodic series about a blustering inventor who creates the "perfect" android girl, only to discover that he may have created a monster instead! (May)

HUNTER X HUNTER
By Yoshihiro Togashi
Launching VIZ's new SHONEN JUMP ADVANCED imprint that will offer manga titles to older teens and young adults, HUNTER X HUNTER tells the fantastic adventure story of a young boy who trains to become a master monster hunter. (April)

HAPPY HUSTLE HIGH
By Rie Takada
Hanabi Oozora is a rambunctious 16-year-old tomboy and street urchin who comes to the rescue of her less assertive friends, sometimes in exchange for food. (March)

Wednesday, December 15, watch for annual Top Ten list. will then return in January.


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Friday, December 17, 2004

MTV has licensed the anime adaptation of Santa Inoue's Tokyo Tribes.

The movie will be released in Japan in 2006 and they are looking to have it released in North America in 2006 as well. Details regarding the North American release, whether it will be a simultaneous release with Japan, if it will be a TV broadcast or released in theaters, are not available at this time.

Inoue told Anime Insider that he wants Dr. Dre to do the soundtrack
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CMX, DC Comics' manga label has announced the March releases of the first volumes of Monster Collection, Sword of the Dark Ones and The Devil Does Exist
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VIZ ANNOUNCES NEWEST ADDITIONS TO
THE SHONEN JUMP GRAPHIC NOVEL LINE

New fantasy role-play title and witty comedic manga will be offered in English for the first time in the U.S.

San Francisco, CA, December 16, 2004 – VIZ, LLC, one of the leading publishers and distributors of manga and anime for North American audiences, has announced two new manga titles to be released early next year by the company’s SHONEN JUMP division. LEGENDZ will hit store shelves in March of 2005 and is rated “A” for all ages, while DR. SLUMP will debut in May 2005 and is rated “T” for teens.

LEGENDZ, Volume 1 • MSRP: $7.99 • Available March 2005
LEGENDZ is one of the latest Japanese graphic novel series to blend the manga format with fantasy monsters and role-playing games. The story presents a world where mythical creatures like mermaids, dragons and werewolves, called Legendz, actually exist. Better yet, they can be raised and trained to play the ultimate role-playing game. Master trainer Ken Kazaki and his loyal Windragon, named Shiron, are the main characters in LEGENDZ and action abounds when the duo takes on other skilled Legendz players who will stop at nothing to win. Unlike most players, Ken knows that taking care of his Legendz will increase Shiron’s power and skill level. In the debut volume of the series, readers will meet Ken and his friends, and the fabulous creatures they seek to train. The plot thickens when Ken must take on a school bully who is plotting to rig the school’s Legendz tournament to win the coveted Golden Soul Figure.

This highly anticipated release is the first phase of the Legendz brand’s foray into North America. Drawn by Makoto Haruno and written by Rin Hirai, LEGENDZ is currently a popular ongoing manga series in Japan, with volume 3 recently released. The title is also serialized in the pages of the Japanese comic anthology, Monthly Shonen Jump. A hit anime series, video games, action figures, and related trading cards have also become very successful.

DR. SLUMP, Volume 1 • MSRP: $7.99 • Available May 2005
DR. SLUMP is a madcap series about a blustering inventor, who creates the “perfect” android girl, only to discover that he may have created a monster instead! Volume 1 introduces the precocious Arale to Penguin Village, where she wreaks havoc with her superhuman strength and oddball ways. Each volume of the series focuses on Arale's childlike misunderstandings of humanity and Senbei's inventions, rivalries and romantic misadventures. Aside from its episodic storyline, DR. SLUMP is also notable for its puns, scatological jokes and parodies of both Western and Japanese pop culture. A manga classic by Akira Toriyama, the creator of DRAGON BALL and DRAGON BALL Z.
DR. SLUMP was Toriyama’s first weekly manga series, debuting in Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump anthology. The series became a huge commercial success, spawning an incredible ten feature films, a pair of popular anime series that totaled over 300 episodes, and an array of related toys and video games. The title has never been available in English until now. Following the success of DR. SLUMP, Toriyama went on to international fame with manga series like DRAGON BALL, DRAGON BALL Z and SAND LAND (all published by VIZ under the SHONEN JUMP brand.)

“VIZ is excited to make LEGENDZ and DR. SLUMP available to audiences in North America,” states Yumi Hoashi, vice president of SHONEN JUMP. “Both are popular series that present fantastic alternate worlds filled with captivating and unique characters. LEGENDZ takes the concept of the role-playing game to an adventurous new level while DR. SLUMP blends laugh- out-loud comedy with lots of inside humor and observations on both American and Japanese pop culture and society. We are pleased to add both these titles to the SHONEN JUMP collection and look forward to both new titles developing enthusiastic fans.”


About VIZ, LLC

Founded in 1986, VIZ is a multi-media entertainment company specializing in Japanese entertainment properties for U.S. audiences. VIZ offers an integrated product line including magazines, graphic novels, videos, DVDs and audio soundtracks. Each month, VIZ publishes three magazines – ANIMERICA, ANIMERICA EXTRA and SHONEN JUMP; over 20 graphic novel titles, including ALICE 19TH, BOYS OVER FLOWERS, DRAGON BALL Z, FUSHIGI YÛGI, GUNDAM, INUYASHA, RANMA 1/2, and YU-GI-OH!; and distributes home video for BOYS OVER FLOWERS, HAMTARO, INUYASHA, POKéMON, PROJECT ARMS, and ZOIDS.

Based in San Francisco, VIZ is one of the top five comics publishers in the U.S. and a subsidiary of Shogakukan and Shueisha Inc., two of the top publishers in Japan. VIZ is the leading publisher of manga for English speaking audiences, serving a growing market of dedicated fans of all ages. Estimating a core audience of nearly 15 million fans, the company holds a large market share of Japanese comics in the U.S. With some of the most innovative products in the industry, VIZ has expanded its offerings to its loyal fans through web sites such as, www.shonenjump.com, and its corporate site, www.viz.com.

Contact VIZ, LLC at: 655 Bryant Street, San Francisco, CA 94107-1612; Phone: (415) 546-7073; Fax: (415) 546-7086; Web site: www.viz.com.
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Tokyopop has announced a new manga release exclusive to Borders and Waldenbooks Stores. Volume 6 of Fruits Basket with Artbox (for the full 6 volumes) and a DVD including episodes 1 & 2 of the Fruits Basket TV series (from Funimation). Canadian retailers will be able to order the set through Diamond Distributors.
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Tuesday, December 14, 2004

Hollywood movie studios on Tuesday launched new legal action against operators of sites that help connect people to movies on two major peer-to-peer filesharing networks.

In the United States, the Motion Picture Association of America, the main lobbying arm of American film studios, filed civil lawsuits against operators of BitTorrent tracker sites, which point to locations where downloadable files can be found. In Europe, legal action in partnership with international law enforcement are expected against parties responsible for the hosting of servers in the eDonkey network.
Both BitTorrent and eDonkey allow millions to share copies of movies, music, software and games. Because of its efficiency in helping users handle very large files -- such as digital copies of feature-length films -- BitTorrent has attracted the enmity of Hollywood.

The MPAA has filed previous suits against individual downloaders. Its actions come just days after the Supreme Court agreed to take up the landmark MGM v. Grokster filesharing case.

In August, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that peer-to-peer companies cannot be held responsible for intellectual property infringement that may take place on their networks, because the technologies can be also used for legitimate, non-infringing purposes.

After urgent requests from the MPAA, the Recording Industry Association of America and a class of 27,0000 songwriters and musicians, the high court agreed last week to decide the case on appeal.

For now, P2P services such as Grokster, BitTorrent and eDonkey are not illegal. But so-called "indexing servers" that help users download copyrighted content are. In its original architecture, the Napster network used a centralized database to keep track of which file sharer had which file. Other decentralized nets such as Grokster do not have a central repository -- and this distinction became a key reason why the courts banned Napster while permitting Grokster and Streamcast to continue.

The BitTorrent tracker sites do not hold content themselves, but serve as a dynamically generated library of urls that show users where portions of files are located within the constellation of participating nodes. They help to connect users who want a file with other users who have that file on their hard drive.

Regardless of whether the tracker sites host content or not, people close to the matter say the MPAA is likely to argue that the people who host such sites are aware that the servers make acts of copyright infringement possible, and should therefore be held liable.

While this new round of legal attack would represent the first time the MPAA has attempted to sue parties responsible for hosting trackers, both BitTorrent and eDonkey have been in the entertainment trade group's sights for some time. As the popularity of both services boomed in recent months, the MPAA has escalated its attempts to compel ISPs to take action against action within their domain.

MPAA representatives declined to comment in advance of Tuesday's press conference
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According to Hollywood Reporter, Howl's Moving Castle has earned US$79.6 million (¥8.4 billion approx.) in the 23 days since it was released theatrically in Japan. Comparatively, Spirited Away earned ¥10 billion in the first 25 days of its release.

This Week Last Week Title Country Week#
1 1 Howl's Moving Castle Japan 4
2 2 The Incredibles USA 2
3 N/A Windstruck Korea 1
4 4 Ima Aini Yukimasu Japan 7
5 3 Godzilla Final Wars Japan 2
6 5 The Polar Express USA 3
7 N/A Lady Joker Japan 1
8 6 Everybody Has Secrets Japan 3
9 7 Collateral USA 7
10 8 Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow USA 3
'Incredibles' races past $150 mil overseas




LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - As a batch of new entries sought to establish beachheads at the foreign box office last weekend, "The Incredibles," "The Polar Express" and "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" dominated ticket sales.
"The Incredibles" held the lead for a third weekend in a row, with a massive $32.1 million from 37 countries. "The Polar Express" picked up $16.5 million, while the "Bridget Jones" sequel enjoyed a $13.4 million weekend.

Among the newcomers displaying varying degrees of acceptance in limited early dates were North American champ "Ocean's Twelve," which picked up $4.6 million from five markets; "Blade: Trinity," which entered the United Kingdom at the top with a five-day bow of $5.1 million, and scored $7.5 million from four countries; "The Phantom of the Opera," which kicked off in the U.K. at No. 4 with a three-day take of $2.3 million, and "Closer," which grabbed the No. 3 notch in Italy with an agreeable $1.6 million.

The overseas haul of "Incredibles" shot up to $151.9 million after No. 1 bows in Germany ($5.8 million) and Brazil ($1.7 million). In Japan, "Incredibles' held the No. 2 spot behind local blockbuster "Howl's Moving Castle," which has recorded $79.6 million in four weeks. "Incredibles"' second weekend ($4.8 million) in Japan was off only 19%, for a local total of $14.8 million. Three weekends in the United Kingdom have delivered $36.6 million, while France has chipped in $22 million over the same period. Italy has contributed $16.8 million and Spain $16.5 million.

"The Polar Express" is picking up steam abroad with sales-to-date of $47.2 million from 45 countries. The animated film with a Tom Hanks voice-over arrived in the United Kingdom at No. 3 with a solid $4.4 million.

There was no stopping "Bridget Jones," which took the lead in France with a $5.3 million bow. The total for the romantic comedy stands at $130.1 million, considerably better than North America's $38.1 million.

After a $10.9 million weekend from 13 markets, "National Treasure's" loot advanced to $34.1 million, with No. 1 openings in Italy ($4.9 million), Spain ($2.1 million), Singapore ($450,000) and Portugal ($395,000).

Domestic dud "Alexander" made off with an estimated $5.1 million (foreign total: $24.7 million) from 22 countries before winding up this year's assault in Germany on Dec. 23 and recharging next year in France on Jan. 5.

"Ocean's Twelve" took a 46% share of Australia's top 10 take as it opened at No. 1 with $3.5 million.

Besides its No. 4 opening in the United Kingdom, "Phantom of the Opera" orchestrated a No. 1 bow in South Korea, with an estimated $2.7 million. It opens in North America on Dec. 22.
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ADV Films has released detals regarding their upcoming release of Gantz via a print solicitation sent to retailers. They have confirmed that they will be releaseing the un-edited version (Gantz was edited to remove objectionable content from the Japanese TV release). They've also confirmed the 50 minute / 2-episode running time reported earlier this month. Gantz will be released on 13 2-episode DVDs, the first one is listed with a $17.98 SRP
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Hayao Miyazaki has won a special jury prize for his comlete body of work (all his works) at the world's biggest fantisy film festival, the Sitges International Film Festival of Catalonia, which ended on Friday.

Additionally, Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle won the Audience Award for Best film.

Katsuihiro Otomo's Steamboy won the Gertie Award for the Best Animation Film.

The full list of award winners can be read http://www.cinemasitges.com/eng/docs/PALMARES04eng.doc
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Monday, December 6, 2004

In their first month on Adult Swim, Fullmetal Alchemist and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex showed an impressive average growth of 92% and 79% respectively over the same time slot last year among adults 18-34. With men 18-34 increasing 72% and 44%, the bulk of the growth came in the form of newfound female viewers, increasing 130% during Fullmetal Alchemists time slot and 168% during Stand Alone Complex's time slot.

Overall, Fullmetal Alchemist averaged 492,000 adult 18-34 viewers while Stand Alone Complex averaged 428,000.

Adult Swim continued to be the number 1 programming block on basic cable for adults 18-34 in November and grew its audience in that demographic by 24% overall compared to a year ago, with the 18-34 female audience increasing by 88%.
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Go Fish pictures recently reported that Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence recently passed $1 million in box office sales in North America. Innocence now ranks as the ninth highest grossing anime released theatrically in North America.
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UK tabloid, the Daily Mail, recently published an editorial reaction to a report of a list of manga that the UK Reading Society is making for consideration in UK schools to encourage more reading. The article is entitled "Child murder, incest and rape... is this really how our schools should be encouraging boys to read?"

The article starts out with the quote, "GRAPHIC Japanese comic book, infamous for the violent and pornographic content of their adult version, are being sent to schools by a government-funded agency."

The UK Reading Soceity states that it has screened the manga to make sure that the content of the recommended titles is appropriate for 13-to-16-year-olds, but the Daily Mail goes on to suggest that the children will become hooked on manga and go on to seek more violent and pornographic manga.

The article appears on page 49 of the November 21st edition of The Mail on Sunday.
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Websunday reports (Japanese) that "Detective Conan - Conspiracy Above the Horizon" will be released in Japanese thaters on April 9th, 2005. A poster for the new movie is available in the current (January) issue of Shonen Sunday
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Urban Vision has solicited a pair of Ninja Scroll boxed sets for may 10th, UV's first release since the June release of Ninja Scroll TV volume 3. The regular box set will retail for $59.95, while the Tin set with action figure will retail for $69.95.
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Bandai's Mobile Suit Gundam Movie Collection and Geneon's Requiem from the Darkness DVD 1 + Artbox have been discontinued. The companies will no longer be manufactuing / distributing these releases, although they may still be available in some stores.
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Tales of Phantasia Licensed?
The recently released Tales of Phantasia OAV, based on the popular Namco console game, lists Geneon Entertainment (USA) Inc.
[Kidotaku]:This was known ever since the trailer was released about 3 months ago.
It's being Co-Produced by Geneon USA.
IOW, you can go ahead and assume it's licensed in the credits. BTW. It starts out like the game, but it skips straight to the battle against Dhaos' minions in the snowfield.(back to the news)Presented by Chad Kime, the Pioneer panel started off with a brief explanation on why they changed their name to Geneon, and how the name was chosen. This helped alleviate some confusion amongst fans as to why the name change was necessary.

Shortly afterwards, he named some of the upcoming Geneon releases, such as the Snow Fairy Sugar Special, which would be packaged with shampoo bottles. The Mahoromatic Summer Special would also be released, along with a Mahoro action figure and an optional empty box for the first and second seasons. The boxes would also be sold separately to consumers.

An outline of Geneon’s release schedule for the upcoming months was also given, along with details about some of the releases. Of particular note, Geneon has licensed Hajime no Ippo / Fighting Spirit and will release it on DVD in July. Geneon will also release Gungrave in a seven volume set with the original Nightow art that was one the Japanese box set. Gungrave will include a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix for the English track and a DTS 5.1 mix for the Japanese track. The R.O.D. the TV releases will also feature DD 5.1 mixes for both languages. Ai Yori Aoshi ~ Enishi ~ volume 1 special edition is to be released in July and will include an artbox, and a capsule figurine, the remaining SE volumes will also include the figurines.

In August Geneon will release a 2-disc Memories soundtrack that will include several tracks that were left off the original release. They will also be releasing Dokkoider and Ikki Tosen (which they will not be calling Battle Vixens).

In September Geneon will release a title called "The Gregory Horror Show," a non-anime CG that Kime referred to as "really weird". The first volume of Stellvia will also be released in September.

October will hail the release of Satoshi Kon’s Paranoia Agent, and the live action Omniyoji 2.

During the question and answer session, Kime gave more information about Geneon’s current plans. There are tentatively 15 volumes planned for the Hajime no Ippo TV series. Nothing is currently known about Hajime no Ippo properties other than the TV series. Also, more Lupin III TV episodes have been licensed, but it is unsure of how many more were acquired.

Geneon has no current plans to release any more Japanese artist CDs (like Yuki Kajiura's Fiction and Yoko Ishida's Sweets). Kime cited Tofu’s current release plans and inherent competition as a possible deterrent, but said that it was not a definite decision. There are no planned game soundtracks at the moment, as the .Hack CD was just an experiment.

When asked about the Geneon acquisition process, Kime said that oftentimes, the company didn’t get to preview the series before the parent company told them what to license.

Regarding Sailor Moon, Kime confirmed that their Sailor Moon licenses would also be expiring soon and that they were not renewable. The movie licenses will expire late this year, and the TV series will expire sometime sometimes afterward.

Responding to another question regarding licensing, Kime stated that it was not always 100% certain that Geneon Entertainment (USA) would distribute titles that it co-produced.


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Thursday, December 2, 2004

But the director is finally coming up for air and returning to science fiction with "Battle Angel," a three-dimensional movie set in the 26th century.


Cameron, who also directed "Aliens" and the first two "Terminator" movies, told The Associated Press he's in preproduction now and expects to start shooting in May or June. The film will take two years to make and will include about 1,500 visual effects shots.


"It's based on a series of graphic novels done by a Japanese artist called Kishiro," said the 50-year-old, whose "Titanic" won 11 Academy Awards (news - web sites) including best picture and best director, and is the highest-grossing film of all time.


He wouldn't discuss casting for the movie, but said, "It's going to be a combination of live action and (computer graphics) but done photorealistically. There will be CG characters and live-action characters."


He plans to use updated versions of the three-dimensional cameras he used to shoot last year's "Ghosts of the Abyss," his IMAX movie about diving to the real Titanic wreckage, and the upcoming "Aliens of the Deep," another IMAX documentary about underwater exploration for which he worked with NASA (news - web sites) scientists.


"We were originally going to release it in '06. We decided to wait 'til '07 because we're trying to ride the impending wave of digital cinema," Cameron said. "The digital cinema projectors are 3-D compatible based on the way that we want to do the 3-D display, and 35mm projectors are not. So we'll release the film in both 2-D and 3-D theaters."


At that point, though, you'll still have to wear those dorky red-and-blue cardboard glasses to experience the 3-D visual effects.


"Oh yeah," he said. "No 3-D without glasses." //


for i dont get sued http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041125/ap_en_mo/people_james_cameron_5
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SHARPEN YOUR PENCILS AND PUT YOUR MANGA WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS...
TOKYOPOP® KICKS OFF THE 5TH RISING STARS OF MANGA™ COMPETITION ON DECEMBER 1, 2004

MANGA GIANT EXPANDS COMPETITION WITH INTRODUCTION OF ALL-NEW “PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD”

Los Angeles, CA (December 1, 2004)—TOKYOPOP Inc., the country’s leading manga publisher, is pleased to announce the highly anticipated fifth Rising Stars of Manga competition, launching on December 1, 2004 and running through February 15, 2005. Aspiring artists and writers are encouraged to submit their 15-to-20-page manga—along with completed entry forms—to TOKYOPOP for the chance to join the next generation of nationally published manga-ka. A handful of talented winners will score cash prizes and have their winning entries presented in the next Rising Stars anthology, to be published in Summer 2005. Due to overwhelming demand, the competition will introduce a brand-new People’s Choice on-line component where the top 20 finalists will have their entire entries posted on the TOKYOPOP website and judged by the fans.

"We are really pleased to open up the Rising Stars judging to the fans,” comments Rob Valois, TOKYOPOP editor. “Since so many people have been vocal on the message boards and at industry conventions, we're offering them all a chance to shape the future of manga. I'm personally excited to see how the fans' favorite will compare to our own.”

As the U.S. market leader in localized manga and the sponsor of the first-ever manga competition in the country, TOKYOPOP is on a mission to identify and nurture the artists and writers who will define American manga in the years ahead. A manga revolution is sweeping the U.S., and a new generation is being inspired by this innovative art form. The essence of manga is not restricted to work from to its birthplace in Japan—it can embrace Western characters, storylines and culture. TOKYOPOP’s expanded competition invites creators living in America and working in English to submit their work. The top seven entries, as selected by TOKYOPOP's editorial staff and the on-line People’s Choice selection, will receive monetary prizes and be published by the fifth Rising Stars of Manga anthology. In addition, all the winners will have an exclusive opportunity to pitch a full-length manga story idea to TOKYOPOP executives for possible development as a graphic novel series. Entrants are encouraged to submit content from all genres—comedy, drama, horror, science fiction, action, fantasy, romance—and even under-represented subjects such as political, historical or instructional manga. Complete details for the fifth Rising Stars of Manga competition are available NOW on TOKYOPOP’s website at: www.tokyopop.com/news/mangatalent/index.php.

About TOKYOPOP®
TOKYOPOP® is an innovative youth-oriented entertainment company that creates, licenses and publishes hundreds of book, DVD and music properties. With millions of books in print, including the hit series Fruits Basket, Princess Ai, DNAngel, Tokyo Tribes, Love Hina and Chobits, TOKYOPOP also discovers and promotes new artists and writers, creating manga such as Warcraft, ShutterBox and @Large. Pioneers of the Cine-Manga® book format, TOKYOPOP’s best-selling releases feature Finding Nemo, Shrek 2, Lizzie McGuire, SpongeBob SquarePants, Greatest Stars of the NBA and Linkin Park’s Breaking the Habit. Its television properties include Rave Master, Initial D, GTO and Reign: The Conqueror, with consumer products programs tied into Rave Master, Initial D, Stray Sheep and Princess Ai. Visit www.TOKYOPOP.com for additional information.
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Monday, November 29, 2004

International Manga and Anime Festival (IMAF)

NEWS RELEASE

CALL FOR ENTRIES…..CALL FOR ENTRIES….

LAUNCH OF INTERNATIONAL MANGA AND ANIME COMPETITION

The first-ever annual international competition to identify the best in Manga and Anime talent in the world has been launched, with $75,000 worth of prizes to be won.

“We are looking for fabulous new talent wherever it is,” says Dr Andre Singer of IMAF, who is the organiser of the competition. “The popularity of Manga and Anime is increasing worldwide, and the competition will create a new forum for Manga artists and Manga animators, whether professional or amateur, to show the dynamic scope of their ‘fantastical pictures’ and stories in the wonderful world of Manga.”

Work from selected entrants will be on show at the first annual International Manga and Anime Festival, which is to be held at the historic London County Hall from December 16th - 19th. The festival will show an original and exciting mix of Manga and Anime from around the world in both a modern and original environment. Anime will be on show in and around the prestigious Debating Chamber within London County Hall using the latest AV technology, with other displays being held in the elegant Riverside Suites overlooking the River Thames, Houses of Parliament and London Eye.

A panel of experts including Internationally renowned Manga writer, Koike Kazuo, who wrote the acclaimed “Samurai Executioner”, “Crying Freeman”, “Lone Wolf and Cub” plus the British impresario, Pete Waterman, who has a deep fascination for the world of Manga, will judge the entrants to the competition and prizes will be awarded in January/February 2005 in the following categories:

Best Short Animation
Best Storyboard
Best Character

Within each category, prizes will be awarded for work appealing to young children, teenagers or adults, reflecting the wide appeal of the manga genre. Each category prize will be worth $5,000, with a first prize of $30,000 for the best overall entry. The deadline for entries is November 30th 2004.

Entry forms can be downloaded from the IMAF website on www.imaf.co.uk which has full terms and conditions of the competition.

“The widespread influence of Manga is considerable but has received little acknowledgement by Western audiences. The Lion King and Finding Nemo, both fabulously successful films, were based on Anime, and there are hundreds of examples of Western-style animated movies taking their inspiration from Manga,” continues Dr Andre Singer.

“It’s now time for Manga and Anime to gain full international
recognition and we have created a new focus for Manga through an international Festival together with the setting up of an animation centre, CHASE, here at London County Hall, lead by Manga experts from all over the world including Japan, South America, Europe and China.”


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Friday, November 26, 2004

Back in September, Nintendo's adviser Hiroshi Yamauchi announced at a press conference that Nintendo would be investigating the possibility of forming an animation studio. Now Japanese newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports that Nintendo will enter the anime business in 2006. It will produce properties with anime and video game tie-ins
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The East Meets South convention, set to take place during the weekend of December 3rd in Anniston, AL, has run into a problem with their event space. According to their website, "We've been told at 10p.m. last night [November 23rd] that our Event Space has been rented out from under us at the last minute."

The organizers are currently working on arrangements to move the events to a nearby venue and hope to make an announcement regarding the situation on Monday, November 29th.


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